Some of our Clients and Testimonials
Cisco is a multinational corporation who designs, manufactures, and sells networking equipment. Essential Instructions was subcontracted to assist them in creating SDK documentation for their IP phone products. This work involved close collaboration with development team members across time zones to understand and document the API with minimal starting information. As well, we used our technical background to compile and build sample code on Linux. We worked closely with stakeholders to ensure that the project was delivered on time and on budget.
Alcatel Lucent provides networking hardware, IP technologies, software, and services throughout the world, enabling customers to deliver voice, data, and video services. To help expand their API documentation, Alcatel Lucent subcontracted Essential Instructions to assist in the updating and development of their call control API documentation targeted at developers. Essential Instructions also converted content from a legacy PDF format into a single sourcing solution and captured technical processes through detailed diagrams. Included in this work was the documentation of best practices using Alcatel’s frameworks, involing a close working relationship with technical stakeholders to ensure accuracy and to capture the right level of detail.
Launched in 2012 by the government of British Columbia, WorkBC has become B.C.’s premiere job placement and job search website. Its key feature is its ability to search for jobs from a variety of popular job databases including its own, providing comprehensive search results for job seekers. Essential Instructions was subcontracted to edit and polish the content across the site, ensuring the use of plain language for a wide variety of reading levels. This also involved working closely with both content providers and web developers to ensure cohesive language across articles and consistent formatting amongst the site’s various web page components. Essential Instructions was further subcontracted to utilize our technical background to document the underlying information architecture and databases.
The UBC Department of Mechanical Engineering is well known for its research into mechanical systems and machining processes. They have developed a CNC simulator which simulates and analyzes the machining process, before parts are physically machined. This enables the manufacturing process to be optimized for efficiency and machining problems to be identified before physical materials are potentially wasted. Essential Instructions worked closely with UBC to develop a user manual for this software. The project required us to quickly become familiar with CNC machining tools, techniques and manufacturing processes while designing a manual targeted towards mechanical engineers and machinists. Here’s what one of the project directors had to say about us:
“Essential Instructions was an asset to us during the development of our new software product. They quickly grasped the technical details of our user workflows and delivered a great user manual on time. This allowed us to remain focused on product development knowing that the creation of the user manual was in good hands. We will definitely look to Essential Instructions to help us again on future projects.”
Mustafa K. – Project Consultant, UBC Department of Mechnical Engineering
Electronic Arts is one of the world’s leading video game developers. Using our extensive background in software engineering and game development, we’ve helped EA become more efficient by documenting their internally developed game technology. Our documentation has helped cut costs by giving software engineers, animators, and artists the information they need to quickly master EA’s custom built tools and technologies.
“As a technical writer, Dana is able to distill technical concepts down to essentials and understands how to best present information for a particular end user.”
Kevin T. – Development Director, EA Canada
Building automation is a key area which can benefit from mesh networking technologies. As such the ZigBee network stack specification was introduced to address this technological need and Exegin has developed their own implementation of it. Essential Instructions assisted Exegin in the development of their own API manual for this technology. Using generic ZigBee stack protocol information, we custom tailored an API manual targeted towards developers who use Exegin’s ZigBee library. This included working closely with Exegin’s developers and mapping general specifications to Exegin’s own API. Using our strong technical background we were able to ask the right questions and produce a highly technical manual for a technical audience.
“Essential Instructions utilizes a thorough and easy-to-manage process for generating professional documentation within a budget.”
Fred F. – Founder and CEO, Exegin Technologies
As a leading developer of electronic signal processing systems, Spectrum Signal Processing has built its niche in the military sector. For the mission critical nature of their products, Spectrum Signal counts on Essential Instructions to help develop technical manuals for their circuit boards, SDK’s and product usage. Often working under tight deadlines, Essential Instructions alleviates the burden of creating this documentation thus enabling Spectrum’s developers to focus on development work.
When it comes to virtual desktops and remote PC access, Teradici’s PCoIP protocol provides the ultimate remote desktop experience. As an up and coming organization Teradici realized they needed the assistance of a technical writer for ongoing document creation and maintenance; our technical background made Essential Instructions the obvious choice. We do ongoing document maintenance for Teradici including editing of technical documents, development of highly technical knowledge base articles, marketing materials and consultation on Power Point presentations for delivery to corporate customers.
Management over the importation and sale of alcohol in BC is handled by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB). With an aging policy and procedure manual for in-store safety, BCLDB chose Essential Instructions to perform an overhaul. We worked closely with BCLDB to come up with an improved style, and reworked the document’s underlying structure to make it easier for future editing. BCLDB also approached us for an update to their workplace conduct manual. We performed numerous style and structure updates as well as a complete rework of their technical diagrams for better clarity and a more professional look.
Tetratech provides engineering and consulting services to a variety organizations involved with managing and harvesting natural resources. Their mining division provides comprehensive analysis of mineral properties through the development of National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) documents. Faced with tight deadlines and high workloads, Tetratech needed ongoing assistance from someone with strong writing skills who could edit complex scientific and geotechnical documents. Our extensive writing backgrounds made Essential Instructions the obvious choice to help them develop top quality NI 43-101 documents for their corporate clients. Our flexibility and ongoing relationship has enabled Tetratech to meet their deadlines, save money and produce top quality deliverables.
Here2Help Solutions specializes in transportation and logistics software. Essential Instructions helped convert one of their Word documents into a more modern and searchable .chm file and also updated the look and feel of the content. We also used our extensive programming background to provide direction on how to integrate the help into their application’s code base and to enable context sensitive help within the user interface.
